Moving with little ones...

[Stepharoonie!]

Have you ever tried to start packing up things, only to have your little ones panic, thinking you're throwing or giving away those items? I started packing some of my daughter's toys yesterday (ones she doesn't play with all of the time) and she panicked, thinking I was throwing them away.

I did try to have her help pack, but she was more interested in unpacking to see what I was packing up. Oh well. A few more days to go...

 

[AmazingGrace]

When we moved with my then three year old, our stuff got poicked up, and she freaked. When we got our stuff back, she looked around and said, "Oh, this looks just like our stuff" She was shocked, like we went out and bought all new stuff that looked like our old stuff.

 

[holycow]

Yes, it is very funny/frustrating...can you wait until she naps to pack her stuff?...I tried to do that and just saved my DD favorite things to keep out....

It's nice to see you again!


Holycow

 

[FINFAN]

we moved when my DD was 3 1/2...it was a complicated move as our house sold B4 new one was finished. We had stuff go to storage, my folks, my IL's, stuff for apt...it was EVERYWHERE! One day DD asks for a certain My Little Pony.. as if I had ANY idea what box at which place it was in....but boy, did she know! It was in the storage facility in a box and she knew right where to find it. It took forever to get to it, but kids know their stuff!
Glad things are moving along Steph...


Pam

 

[amid chaos]

Get her some markers and stickers and have her decorate her boxes. It will keep her busy for awhile.
When you arrive at your new house she will know immediatly which boxes contain her toys and clothes.

 

[mickeyboat]

We moved out of our house last winter while our house was being renovated. We are getting ready to move back in a few weeks. We packed everything while the kids weren't around and kept out some of their favorite play things. The other toys have been out of sight and out of mind. I am considering not bringing may of them back. They have too many toys anyway and give me a hard time when we have a yard sale.

Maybe I will use this as a lesson on giving things to charity.

PS - back on topic- I think the idea of markers and stickers is a great one!

Denae

 

[EsmeraldaX]

That's cute. I helped my cousin move with her DD when she was little and she was also more interested in unpacking the boxes.

 

[Cruise04]

Didn't have his happen due to moving but during the summer one year I was cleaning out a Rubbermaid tote that I kept all of dd's stuff in from the school year - you know, the cute pictures, nice papers, etc. She must have been 7 or 8. She walked in on me and the garbage bag and started going balistic on me - "You're throwing away all my memories", "Why are you throwing all my memories away?". I was throwing out all the graded papers that I didnt' need to keep, was keeping all the nice things she had done - pictures, etc. It was kind of funny and I remember laughing at her and the harder I laughed the harder she cried. It was even funnier when she went out to the garage to see how many garbage bags I had already set out there!!!!

 

[mbb]

So good to see you again!!

Just wanted to say good luck with the move!!

 

[DISshopkeeper]

Originally posted by AmazingGrace
When we moved with my then three year old, our stuff got poicked up, and she freaked. When we got our stuff back, she looked around and said, "Oh, this looks just like our stuff" She was shocked, like we went out and bought all new stuff that looked like our old stuff.

This is a good one!!

 

[decker96]

When we last moved our oldest DD was 3 1/2. I waited until the last possible minute to pack up her toys (I think it was the day before we actually moved) and I had her help me do it. While we were packing I kept telling her what a cool new playroom and bedroom she was going to have in the new house, that she could pick whatever she wanted to decorate her new room, basically just talking up how great the new house was. I also let her decorate as many of the boxes as she wanted. I told her she could keep a few things out of the boxes to play with the last day and we would just take those things over in the car. Unfortunately, she wanted to keep out just about everything! LOL!
When we got everything to the new house, we unpacked her and her brother's (16 months) stuff first and tried to set up their rooms exactly how they'd been at the old house and got out all their toys. We ate out a couple more times than we would have because the kitchen was not unpacked, but it was worth it to have them more comfortable.
Good luck with your move!

 

[dianeschlicht]

Go get a bunch of those stick on gift wrap bows (large economy size bag) and let her put one on each of the boxes that contain her things. Tell her it will be like opening a present when you get moved. Then when you arrive at the new place, she will know which "presents" are hers to unwrap! Good luck!

 

[Cruise04]

That is too cute AmazingGrace. I had a similar thing happen with my dd once except it was because she had misbehaved so I took her stuff away (or she hadn't cleaned her toys up or something) and put them in a garbage bag and told her they were going in the garbage (again about 5 or 6 years old). Well what I had actually done was hid them in my dad's closet, this was also during the winter time. Well Easter came along and she was doing much better in the pickup dept so I thought she could have her toys back. And what better way then the Easter bunny bringing them to her. She had pretty much the same reaction your dd had - How did the Easter bunny know I had those same toys at one time?? was her reaction.

Things like this is why you just GOTTA love kids!!!!!

 

[Microcell]

Originally posted by mbb
So good to see you again!!

Just wanted to say good luck with the move!!

Ditto!

 

[jimmytammy]

Hey Steph

Glad to see you on the boards. Believe it or not I have never had to move my entire life(its a long story) but i have helped move a lot of other people. Good luck in upcoming move!!

 

[Claudia1]

I have also let the kids pack their things in suitcases. They are familiar with the concept of suitcases on vacation (our "stuff" goes in and the same "stuff" comes out) so it is more easily comprehended for them.

The bow on the box idea is good!